Another adventure
by Oustiti
Summary: Ed and Al are back at central, Scar is on the lose, Roy's witty as ever with Riza at his side. Some Royai, fun, action, deep conversations. Based on rp, still a lot of chara's available so don't just sit there and read JOIN. Please check the site or R&R.
1. Chap 1: Guess who

**Guess who's back**

A rather coughsmallcough teen with a blond braid and a long red coat jumped out of the train that had just arrived in the Central train station.

Edward Elric and his little brother, yes the big guy in an armour that is, were just fresh back from another mission.

Ed grumbled a bit at the thought of what would lay ahead: report to the stupid Colonel about the stupid mission he had send Ed on.

But there would be plenty of time left later to whine about the Colonel, right now he was actually rather happy being back at Central as it had been a while.

Ed putted the case on the ground and looked back at the train tapping his large boot on the ground impatient as he had his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Aaaaallll, come on. What's taking you so long?"

There was a clanking noise behind Edward as a huge suit of armour tried to step off the train, and a huge THWACK! as it whacked his head of the top of the door.

''Ow!''

''I'm trying brother!'' A childlike voice protested as the huge bulk of the armour eventually managed to squeeze out of the door.

''I kinda wish they'd make the doors bigger.'' Al Elric stood beside his older (but a lot smaller) brother and adjusted the helmet of the armour that hosted his soul.

''But it's good to be back, right brother?'' Al looked optimistically down at Ed. If the metal head could have smiled, it would.

"Yeah I guess." Ed agreed as he had been slightly grinning in amusement at his younger brothers problems.

"Though I'm looking forwards so much to go report to 'colonel pain in the ass'." Ed said sarcastically.

He flung the case over his shoulder.

"But it gotta be done, it's the entire charm of being 'a dog of the military." Ed muttered.

Ed started to lead the way to the exit of the station.

"I wonder if Elysia grew." Ed added laughing. No doubt he would know soon enough when they met Hughes.

''Oh that's right! I wonder if she missed us!?'' Al chirped, ambling along after Ed; people in the station giving the huge walking armour suit a wide berth just in case.

''Don't be so disgruntled, brother!'' Al added brightly as they left the station.

''It'll be nice to see Hawkeye, Fury, Havoc and the others- even if he does annoy you, we owe the Colonel a lot, and admit it brother, without Roy, who would you argue with??''

"I'm sure she did." Ed said smiling slightly. The little Elysia slightly reminded him of Nina.

"You can talk you don't have to report to him. I can hear him no already: 'Fullmetal report...wait where is he? Ow did I step on you again?'" Ed muttered lowering his voice to sound more like Mustang.

"Own him?" Ed said a tad heated as he looked at Al. "Hell no."

"But I guess you're right, I need someone to annoy." He added grinning mischievously.

Al sighed, his brother never understood.  
''Well,'' He started just as they reached the farm HQ. ''Maybe your just a little too sensitive about your height?''

He could already hear the retort.  
_''Yeah well it's easy for you to say! You're 9 foot!''_

He started up the steps.

Ed had a straight face but inside he was smiling. Al always saw the good inside everyone. Maybe Ed didn't always agreed but he admired his brother for it.

But when Al mentioned his height Ed snapped.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT YOU NEED A MICROSCOPE TO SEE! I AM NOT SMALL." Ed yelled, announcing the return of the Fullmetal Alchemist in the HQ.

"I'm not oversensitive to my height people just don't have to call me small." He said snappy as he walked through the halls towards the office of the colonel and his men.

''Ed... Ed I didn't say anything about a microscope..'' Al sweat dropped as he followed Ed in, wondering how his brother could freak out so much and then say he didn't have height issues.

XXX

Colonel Roy Mustang had just fought his way through mountains of paperwork and was just on his way back to his desk with some coffee when he noticed the two figures marching toward him.

It was a chance he couldn't miss.

''Al Elric! Here without your brother?'' He made a small show of looking around before glancing down and pretending to see Ed for the first time.

''Ahh, Full Metal Shorty! Your here- sorry for not looking down before now.''

Al winced, face palming himself. This was typical.

Ed walked on moody, ignoring his brother.

As Ed saw the colonel near, he smirked slightly, ready for another 'argument'.

At Roy's comment Ed's eye twitched.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THEY WOULD DROWN IN A RAINDROP!" Ed yelled freaking out on the colonel not caring if it was his superior.

Ed lunged at Mustang wanting to strangle him.

''Now now, don't make me violate the military code.'' Roy chastised in his deep voice as he clicked his fingers, created a small explosion just in front of Ed's face.

''I would hate to have to hurt a child...''

Al clamped both metal arms around his brother's body and held on for dear life, dragging him backwards.

''Calm down big brother! Remember what we came for!''  
There was a pause and Al sighed. ''Don't make me lock you in my chest-plate.''

''Yes, listen to your brother, shorty.''

"That's taking advantage of your rank." Ed snapped back before drawing back a tad surprised at the small explosion in front of his face.

"CHILD?!" Ed yelled insulted as he tried to get out of his younger brother's grip. "Let go Al, let go of me!"

Ed had finally started to calm down a bit when Mustang just had to add the 'shorty' and Ed immediately started reaching out for him again.

"Let go Al!" He yelled furious.

''No, Ed!! Calm down!!'' Al pleaded, stuffing his brother unceremoniously into his chest plate and locking the catch.

''I'm not going to have you destroying the HQ because of a remark. Now you'll stay in there till you behave!''

As much as Al admired and looked up to his big brother for his personality and strength, sometimes his height obsession got a little tiring.

Roy had to smirk. He was enjoying it too much.  
''Oh, that thing shrimp-sized?'' He asked, rapping his knuckles against Al's chest plate and grinning.  
This was the only bit of fun he had got all day, besides peeking into the ladies room from a grate. Hawkeye had caught him. That hadn't ended well.

Al sighed. ''You're not helping.''

"Al let me out!" Ed yelled as he tried to get out. "You have to let me out Al I'm the older brother. Al!"

"I'm not gonna destroy the HQ just him!" Ed huffed slowly starting to calm down.

As Mustang didn't stopped Ed hit the chest panel a few times as if he tried to reach Mustang instead.

"You know if you ever want a report of me keep going you pervert!" Ed snapped back in hope to get back at him.

Everybody knew how Roy was, it was hard to miss with his mini-skirt campaign.

Al looked down into his chest plate. ''Will you behave?'' He asked like a scolding parent, sighing a little.

It was futile, Ed would just keep on being violent and unreasonable. It was kind of part of the package at this stage. And he would go on being a peacekeeper.

Roy shrugged. ''Someone has to commanded the masses of scantily-clad women out there, shorty.'' He proclaimed, waving his arms around grandly and posing.

''Now- to business.'' He snapped back into serious-mode in a flash, going to his desk and sitting behind it, clasping his hands. ''What did you screw up this time? "

Ed let out an annoyed sigh but he seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"Just let me out Al." Ed repeated, though a lot less heated this time.

"Perv!" Ed hissed back.

It kept surprising Ed how Mustang could sometimes go so easily from messing around to serious snappy military.

Ed crawled out of his brothers armour giving him a glare for a moment before sitting down on the couch as usual.

"Really colonel, why do you always assume such a things." Ed said lightly.

Al sighed and let Ed out of his armour suit. ''Promise you won't lose the plot, big brother?'' He pleaded, knowing it was worthless to argue but at least trying.

''That's because I'm usually right.'' Roy closed his eyes and smiled superiorly.

''What's the damage, Fullmetal?''

''Report. Now.'''

Ed ignored Al's pleading as right now he had switched to the serious mode as well for a moment. He would get back at the colonel later.

"_Usually_ colonel. There is a first time for everything." Ed said smirking.

Any other soldier in his right mind would never talk back to the colonel Mustang like that. But then again they also all knew better then to call Fullmetal short. So usually it left the two more or less on equal grounds.

At the colonel's stern demand Ed let out a small sigh of frustration.

He really hated that guy. Of course Ed knew just all too well that the colonel was a respected soldier and a great alchemist, even though they didn't always agree, but like hell he would ever admit that out loud. Beside he still greatly disliked his way of working. And what bothered Ed the most was how much the colonel would actually make him feel like a kid sometimes.

Ed was very mature for his age (except on the height issue of course) but the colonel kept treating him like a little kid half the time, hiding things from him and trying to get Ed distracted by annoying him with his height instead. Or rub in every mistake he made like an angry parent would to a child that had stolen a cookie out of the jar without asking.

"We completed the mission you gave us." Ed started his report.

"We went to the town, did the inspection, made the report, fought of a local gang war, check on the local soldiers and came back sir." Ed said sounding bored.

The gang war hadn't been part of their mission actually. Usually they were supposed to stay out of local fights, well technically seen Al could do what he wanted but considering Ed was under the orders of the military he wasn't supposed to interfere with locals unless given permission from his superiors. (And then he wasn't thinking back at the damage they had made. Though it was more to blame the gang, and it hadn't been half as much as on some other missions.)

But still they could hardly have ignored it. Well maybe they could have but it would have 

killed their conscious so. Beside Ed had the reputation of 'hero of the people' to keep up. Usually he rather just shut up about it but by now it had been obvious that Mustang would know everything every time anyway and just rub it in if Ed hid something. So Ed was going with the 'talk fast and hope he missed that part' approach.

"So now that's taken care of sir, I guess we can go, nice talking to you colonel bye." Ed said as he started pushing Al towards the door. Hoping to escape before Mustang would start nagging again.

Roy's eyes narrowed. ''Aha! I was right once again!'' He boomed, spreading his arms for maximum effect.

''Full Metal once again defies command and gets involved in local gang war, is that what you are saying, Elric?''

Alphonse sweat dropped.

Roy sighed, running a gloved hand through his black hair. ''I must say- you're not making my rise to Fuhrer any easier.''

Ed growled at Roy's little victory parade as he sat back down while grumbling, his arms and legs crossed in annoyance.

"Yeah." He muttered annoyed his face slightly flushed.

_Damn stupid Mustang, why couldn't he be deaf._

Ed glared insulted at the colonel. "Those people needed help. So we did ignore a little unimportant rule but it was to help citizens. Isn't that were the army is for?! Alchemists are supposed to help the people. "

"You don't wanna know how much harder I could make it." He added grinning innocently like a child though everybody who knew him could tell that _that_ look was everything but innocent.

''And what would you do? Please don't resort yourself to biting my ankles Elric.''  
Roy replied calmly, leaning back while shooting his retort about the whole Fuhrer business.

Secretly, he was very glad that Edward and his brother had helped the citizens, but as Colonel it wasn't his duty to feel glad, it was his duty to give Ed a bollocking for it.

''Next time actually FOLLOW the rules, Elric, and we may not have to treat you like such a child. You and your walking suit.''

Yes, it had been a bad bay for Roy.

Ed glared at him but didn't reply. Why give him hints if he would make sure it would be a clear revenge afterwards anyway.

"At least I can my own initiatives unlike other puppets from the army." Ed snapped back as he jumped up.

"And leave Al out of it. If you absolutely need to take out your frustration do on me and not on my little brother. You have nothing to say over him." Ed added angry. Yes Mustang knew how to get him angry in record time.

Al shouldn't have followed him to the desk for the report.

''Hmm, still don't like me, I see.'' Roy raised his eyebrows at Edward.  
''You are just too easy to rile, Elric. Unlike other dogs of the mili-.''

He would have continued but right then a female officer walked by the door and Roy stopped for a second to watch her go.  
'So much better in miniskirts.' He muttered before turning back to Edward.

''Thank you for your report, Fullmetal. Will you be staying in Central for long?''  
Arguments were going to end up in his office getting blown up.  
Again.

Alphonse shook his head. ''It's okay, brother.'' He said to Ed in a soothing voice, laying a huge hand on Ed's shoulder.

Ed glared at Roy but he didn't say anything this time.

Ed rolled his eyes at the colonel's remark. Damn, why didn't the lieutenant Hawkeye passed by, she always had a 'very' nice way to react on that side of the colonel. Ed chuckled inwardly at the thought.

"As a matter of fact yes." Ed started as he had calmed down by now.

"Well not really long, but let's say longer than usual. I want to check a few things in the national library and it might take some time." Ed explained. "Then we would have liked to pass by Resembool before going towards the desert sides again."

"Unless of course I have new orders." Ed added as it had started to be a routine by now. "Do we have a new mission?" He asked then, never less a tad curious.

Roy glanced at the MOUNTAINS of paperwork on his desk and shrugged.  
''Not for now, but with the amount of red tape I have to work through don't count on that.''

He rubbed his eyes with the with gloves he wore, downing the semi-cold coffee on his desk.  
''Disgusting.''

''Have fun. Dismissed.'' He waved a gloved hand, meaning Edward and his brother could go.

Alphonse sighed. It went better than he could have hoped. There was only two fights this time.

Ed stood up ready to leave before he remembered something and turned back around to Mustang.

"Um there's just one more problem colonel."

Roy's eyes narrowed. He didn't like where this was going.  
Problems meant paperwork ,paperwork meant more hours of sitting behind this sodding desk.

''What is it, Elric.'' He demanded seriously, leaning his chin on steepled fingers.

Alphonse slipped out into the hallway, allowing the two men to talk.

"It's nothing serious. It's just we don't really have a place to stay during our time at central." Ed explained.

Previous times they had stayed with Tucker. Or in rooms in the extra building beside the barracks but as they were currently working on those, that wasn't possible either. So they were left homeless.

"So I hoped maybe you had a suggestion."

Roy stared at Ed for a few seconds and sighed.  
He DID NOT like where this was going.

''Did you try Hughes? Hawkeye? Havoc..?'' He started, but shook his head.  
Hughes had a family, and it wouldn't be fair to rope the others into it.

"We don't want to bother Hughes and his family. And Hawkeye and Havoc live in part of the barracks here and apparently minors aren't allowed there." Ed explained.

As if asking the colonel was his first choice, no freaking way!

''All right Fullmetal shrimp- go out and look for a hotel.'' He ordered, jabbing a thumb at Ed's chest.  
''Or an inn- anything!''

''But if you can't find anything come back to my apartment. I'm sure I can find a cot.''

"We'll do our best sir." Ed said hastily without even saluting before fleeing out of the room.

Of course not before yelling another "I'M NOT A SHRIMP!".

Roy groaned, rubbing his eyes as Ed left. He sure as hell hoped Elric DID find a place to stay.

xxxx

It didn't matter where they stayed at hotels or inns as it was all on the army's money anyway.

But the thought of failing to find a place and have to go to the colonel... Ed shuddered at the thought.

'I rather sleep on the pavement.' He thought. 'Hard, cold, wet, dirty pavement.'

"Okay come on Al." Ed said waving at his 'little brother' once he was out of the office.

Alphonse trotted along after Ed, looking down at his brother.  
''So what did he say, big brother?'' He asked, pretending that he hadn't been listening.

"That we have to look for an inn or a hotel somewhere in the neighbourhood." Ed replied as he led the way and grabbed every passing soldier to ask if they knew the local inns.

Alphonse sweat dropped as every soldier shrugged and said the same thing.  
''Sorry mr. Alchemist sir- busy time in Central, most of the Inns are full.''

''Oh boy.'' Al commented.

xxx

xxxxxxxxxx

xxx

**Author note:**

This takes place somewhere in the middle of the anime, so before the movie.

This isn't an original story. It's an rp. It's the rp that a friend and me are having on my FMA board. She, aka coconut on the board, is Mustang and Al. I'm Ed.

There is more than just the rp on the board. You can find loads of pic's, links to epi's or AMV's, challenges, you can post stories, advertise sites or board or stories, get into an otaku and just randomly talk and play obsessed fan bout FMA and other stuff.

We could still use some members. The taken characters are Ed, Al, Roy and Riza, all other FMA characters are still free and waiting for people to join and claim them.

oustfullmetala./index.cgi (Put the traditional 'http: / / ' in front of that and you have the link. For some reason ff won't let me post the full link in this document, so leave the spaces between away. If that doesn't work the link should be in my bio. XM Check it if you want.)


	2. Chap 2: Sleep over prt 1

**Sleep over prt 1**

_"We don't really have a place to stay during our time at central."_

_''All right Fullmetal shrimp- go out and look for a hotel.''  
''Or an inn- anything!''_

_("I'm not a shrimp!")_

_''But if you can't find anything come back to my apartment. I'm sure I can find a cot.'' _

_Roy sure as hell hoped Elric DID find a place to stay. _

_'I rather sleep on the pavement.' Ed thought. 'Hard, cold, wet, dirty pavement.' _

_''Sorry mr. Alchemist sir- busy time in Central, most of the Inns are full.''_

_''Oh boy.'' Al commented._

XXX

**Sleep over part 1: Hard, cold, wet, dirty pavement vs. waffles, pup's and scotch…**

"Ow come on. You can't be serious there must be one inn in this entire village that has a room." Ed whined desperately.

"I rather sleep on the pavement then go to mister colonel bastard." Ed muttered under his breath.

Alphonse stopped. ''Roy said we could stay with him? Why didn't you say, brother?''

He shook his head. ''You would have had us sleep out in the cold, wouldn't you, instead of hurting your pride!'' He scolded, shaking a metal finger at Ed.

''Brother!''

"Yes I would." Ed pouted at Al's scolding while they had once again been send away from an inn, the same excuse everywhere: we're full.

"Ow come on Al. Be serious for a second. We're talking about the colonel here. Colonel bastard, Minnie-skirt wanna be Furher freak, Roy Mustang, colonel 'Hey Fullmetal shrimp did I step on you? Again! Then don't hide behind my pencil.', constant pain in the ass to me colonel, colonel 'what did you mess up this time shorty?', colonel 'mark your words I'm your superior'."Ed summed up with each quote doing his Mustang voice impression.

"There is no way in hell I'm gonna pass a single night in the same house as that man. Beside we'd kill each other in less than an hour." Ed argued.

"I rather sleep on the cold, hard, dirty pavement and skip dinner then ask to stay at his place." Ed stated as he got again an inn door slapped in his face.

"Okay this is it. Things can't possibly get any worse from here."

Everybody knows that's the thing you should never say as right on queue big cold rain drops started falling down from the sky. A heavy rain storm had started and lightning and thunder where terrorizing the sky, soaking both brothers as the sentence 'things can't possibly get any worse' works better than any rain dance ever tried.

Ed let out a sigh of frustration. "Life hates me." He muttered.

"Okay Al you win. We'll ask him." He muttered in defeat as they started to head the way to safety.

"I hate it, I hate him, he hates me. But never less I rather do this then face Winry when I would have to ask her later on to please fix my rusted automails." Yes he feared the wrath of the wrench.

As the rain started, Al held up an arm to shield his brother from the rain.  
''Hurry up brother, I don't want your automail rusting up!'' He added in worry, not thinking about his own body as he shooed Ed down the street away from Central.

"My automail'll be fine, just worry about your mark." Ed added as they ran.

After a little run they arrived in front of _the_ door. Ed let out a sigh as he slightly hung his head in defeat. After a small hesitation he knocked _the_ door. If the weather had been any different they could have stayed the night out but neither of them could get too wet and they were already soaked.

Al sighed. ''He probably sees you as; 'mr shorty alchemist can't do a single thing right, has a temper worse than a rabid bull and thinks he's all that' you know?'' He suggested cheerfully, putting on a bad impression of Mustang's voice.

Ed arched an eyebrow at Al. "Wow thanks Al. Really a great cheer up session, tin can." Ed remarked sarcastically.

Alphonse shrugged. ''Just trying to make you see reason!'' Was his cheerful answer.

''But come on Ed, he's not that bad, right? He offered us a place to stay! For a few nights, he's only being nice. Try to see the nice side of him"

"I can't see anything through the rain." Came Ed's muttered sarcastic respond.

"Come on..." He muttered impatient. Not only were they getting wet but cold as well.

xxx

Roy yawned, he had since been relaxing on his head when the knock came. Shrugging on a pyjama top he slouched to the door, pulling it open to see Ed and Alphonse- completely soaked.

''No luck with the search, then?'' He asked more irritably than he actually felt.  
He didn't mind having the two around, but he was sure going to make them think he did.

''No sir.'' Alphonse said in a small voice.

''Come on in then. You two, munchikin.''

As the colonel opened the door looking down on the two soaked figures, Ed felt like dyeing of embarrassment. This would haunt him for sure.

Ed entered the house without a single word, deciding it might maybe be better to just ignore any remarks, for the time being.

Ed's trench coat dripped on the carpet but Ed didn't noticed (or cared for that matter) as he looked around curiously. After all he had never been here before.

Alphonse ducked in the door apologetically, trying not to bump off anything.

Roy walked over to a cupboard with messily-stacked towels, took a stack out and tossed them in the direction of the brothers.

''Make yourselves at home!'' He announced in a more jovial voice, spreading his arms around.

Then he paused, hand in chin as he thought before his eyes sparked. ''Who likes waffles?''

Ed caught the towel after hanging his coat aside before changing the entire house in a swimming pool.

He had been towelling his hair when he noticed some books at the side of the room and went to take a peek. After all the colonel had said make yourself at home, right?!

At Roy's question Ed looked at tad surprised at his superior. That was not really a question he had expected. He had been waiting for something more like 'why didn't you found a place to stay fullshrimp' or anything in that direction.

"Euhh...I like waffles." He said still surprised before curiously returning to inspect the books

''Good- I was making them anyways, it just would be annoying if I had to force you to eat something you didn't like.'' Roy replied in a bright matter-of-fact voice, busying himself in the kitchenette.

Alphonse used the other six towels to dry himself carefully, not wanting to rust and have to be carried around be Ed who- to be honest- didn't look like he could hack that.  
Plus. being a burden to his brother was out of the question.

Ed has loosened his hair to be able to dry it better but half way he had grew too interested by the books. So now he was standing in front of the books with a towel on his head while flipping some random pages before noticing Al.

"Need any help?" He asked.

''Yes please, bother.'' Al nodded a little pitifully, trying to dry the inside of his leg by detaching it from the armour while trying not to fall over.

Roy eyed the walls and furniture as Al wobbled precariously. ''Sit down.'' He advised, shoving waffles into the toaster when a tiny dark grey puppy waddled out of his room and headed straight for Roy.

''Hello, ultimate servant of man!'' Roy chirped, patting the pup on the head with an oven glove.  
''Go annoy shrimpy for a few minutes.''

Ed grinned amused at Al and putted the book back before looking at him.

"There must be an easier way then do all that with a towel." Ed said before clapping his hands together and putting them on Al's armour making it dry in less than a second.

"You got a puppy?!" Ed remarked as he arched his eyebrow and looked at the animal. It was pretty cute.

"Tsss talking bout taking the entire 'dog of the military' a bit serious." He muttered as he kicked his shoes of before standing on the couch to check inside Al's armour.

"Yep, everything looks fine here." He echoed inside.

At Roy's remark Ed got one of those fancy anime anger crosses on his head.

"I'M NOT A SHRIMP!"

Roy grinned. ''Then why do you have to stand on the couch to see into Alphonse's armour?'' He asked, giving the puppy a gentle boot in Ed's direction.

''Thanks Ed!'' Alphonse said quickly, putting himself back together and hoping the two didn't argue.

Roy clicked his fingers, frying the waffles instantly. ''Stupid toaster. Food is served!'' He announced, tossing the plate on the table near the couch.

Ed's face flushed red at that comment. Okay so there the colonel had him. Damn why had he picked such a tall armour for Al.

"Al's just too big." Ed muttered getting over his embarrassment. "He's taller as you as well." Ed pointed out.

"You're welcome." Ed said as he hopped of the couch and took of his vest. Then he took a little bottle out of his pocket, it was a small oil bottle Winry had given him for his automail. As he tested out his arm for a moment before oiling it here and there. Then he continued with the same procedure with his leg, hopping up and down on one leg before deciding that his leg was just fine like that.

Ed tilled his head as he looked down (yes Ed has someone to look down at) at the puppy. It reminded him of the argument he had had back then with Al about the kitten he had 

found in the rain. Ed grinned down at the little thing before patting the pup on the head. "Tssss and then they call me the pup of the military." He said while playing with the puppy.

"Hey Al look!" Ed added while holing the pup out to him, knowing how fond his little brother was of animals.

At the mentioning of food Ed quickly looked up. He grabbed a waffle, half stuffing it in his mount while going back, still munching with waffle half out of his mount, to his brother and the pup to continue their little play.

Al almost squealed as the puppy in Ed's arms. ''Oh it's so cute!!''  
He held out his arms and the pup wiggled over to his, snuffling and licking his metal hands.

''He's adorable!'' Al was saying, just as the pup saw the opening in his not-quite-finished-being-put-back-together arm.  
Alphonse hadn't fitted the elbow joint back in place yet, and the pup wiggled quickly inside, running up along the inside of the armour suit.

''AAAAAaaaaaGGGHGHHH!! ahahahA! It ticckles! Stop!!'' Al protested, flapping his arms about but gently in case he hurt the pup.  
It barked, echoing loudly in his metal body.

Roy looked up, halfway through his second waffle. ''Did you just bark..?''

Alphonse kept flapping as the puppy wiggled its way around his insides. ''ED! HELP!! Hehehehe that tickles! Stop it!'' He giggled, trying to get the puppy out.

Roy jumped up. ''Don't move, you'll crush it!! Tiny, your small enough, go in there and get the pup!''

Ed gave a cold glare at the colonel for that comment. He had been planning something in that style but that comment was over the top.

"WOULD YOU STOP THAT! I'M NOT A TINY BEAN THAT CAN BE EATEN BY ANTS!" He snapped at the colonel. "I swear it superior or not next time you say that it'll be my automail in your face!" He yelled heated before turning to Al.

''Sure, but could you reach?''

"Okay stay still Al." Ed said as he moved away the chest part having the pup in reach.

"Got you!" Ed said as he reached out but the pup slipped down his leg, thinking it was play time.

"Damn." Ed said as he placed the chest plate in place again. "Hold on Al." Ed reassured him as he took out a part of the leg but the pup had made his way back up to the chest plate.

Ed quickly took the chest plate away again and once more the pup slipped down Al's armour legs.

"Ow so he wanna plays. Hold on I got an idea." Ed said before putting Ed together again completely and standing on the couch again.

Ed took Al's 'head' of and putted it a side carefully. "Okay I'm going in." Ed warned before jumping inside the empty suit.

"Wow this is big!" His voice echoed.

"Ha got you, no you don't, get back here. Puppy puppy come here where ever you are. Get hehihiihihere...stohihahahstop thahaha...Damned little brat!!"A lot more rambling and some odd cries followed before things seemed to go silent again.

Then Ed popped his head up with a huge grin and his hair completely messed up while he was holding up the pup proudly.

Roy waited till Ed got the puppy and simply clicked his fingers, whistling. The puppy ignored the command and scrambled around Ed's arms, licking and snuffling his face.

''Huh, he seems to like you two.'' The colonel commented, sitting on an opposite chair and eating, looking totally different without his uniform and just wearing baggy trousers and a shirt.  
''The sooner Hawkeye takes him the better.''

He really didn't know what to say, usually he mocked Edward, not having a conversation.

Al's head gave a tiny cough. ''Thank you Ed.'' He said in a small voice, pulling his brother out of his own neck-hole and fixing his head back in place.

"Hhahhey that tihickles!" Ed laughed as the puppy was licking his face.

"Hey Al!" Ed started to complain but stopped. He could get out himself but it couldn't possibly be a nice situation for Al so Ed just shut up.

As the colonel started talking again Ed looked up at him. While having the pup between him and Al on the couch as Ed was tickling the pup's belly.

This entire situation was very, very odd. Crashing, eating waffles, playing around, all that in Mustangs house?! Ed could barely stand him most of the time and yet they were acting more or less normal towards each other for the moment.

It was all way more comfortable then Ed could ever have imagined. The colonel didn't looked like the colonel at all. Well it was still Roy Mustang of course but he wasn't Colonel Mustang. He wasn't as strict as he usually always was. Ed had been expecting his house to be one and all military rules. Sit up straight, be polite, don't touch anything, still address me as your superior, etc etc... But it was nothing like that, instead it was more calm and casual.

"Hawkeye?" Ed asked as he looked back to the puppy. "This is the lieutenant's puppy right? The one Fuery found and Hawkeye adopted. I knew I knew him from somewhere."

"Wait." Ed said as he realised something else and looked back up at the colonel a tad mischievous before smiling innocently.

"Why is the lieutenants puppy here?" Ed asked while grabbing another waffle and stuffing it in his mount. (Ed has great table manners. XP)

''Yes, that's Black Hayate all right.'' Roy sat back, arms folded, legs crossed. Some military habits never fade.

''We're lovers. Riza must have left him behind the last time she came over.''

If he had one, Alphonse's jaw would have dropped. ''Really?'' He asked in surprise, before he could stop himself. Relationships between lieutenants and their commanding officers wasn't something the military smiled upon.

''No.'' Roy replied calmly, not moving. ''We have a joint ownership of the brat.''  
Alphonse twitched and sweat dropped. ''Oh.''

At first Ed also looked a bit surprised at the statement as the colonel said it so calm and seriously. He had rather been expecting anything like 'it's none of your business'.

"Would have surprised me." Ed said when it appeared to be a joke. "I doubt you would be the lieutenants typ." Not that he knew much about love for that matter.

"Why do you have shared ownership?" Ed asked then while stuffing again another waffle in his mount. "I though they ruled you out cause you went all creepy with dogs." He added bluntly.

''Also the reason they were too scared to object.'' Roy replied, also crunching on a waffle.  
''I like dogs, I'm also their commanding officer- who was going to object?''

It was like talking to another person, Al thought to himself while staring at the Colonel.  
It kind of creeped him out. For the first time in his life he actually wished Roy would insult his brother, so Ed would try and kill him and they'd be back to normal.

''So you really like the little guy, huh?''  
He asked in a shy tone, tickling the puppy in Ed's arms under the chin.

''Of course! Dogs embody loyalty!'' Roy's face went comically serious as he held up a finger, frowning. ''They are mans best servant!''

Alphonse sweat dropped, wondering what a madman Roy was. But at least he was back to normal.  
''Um, don't you mean 'mans best friend?' Colonel?'' He asked in a small voice.

''No?'' Roy answer, continuing to eat.

Alphonse eyed the puppy, wondering if he could grab it and run to the door without Roy exploding them both with a fireball.  
''He's mad, big brother!'' He whispered to Ed.

"You only figured that out now?" Ed whispered back.

"I doubt that lieutenant Hawkeye's afraid of you." Ed answered. Yeah there was something odd between those two, everyone knew that but everybody was too afraid to ask out of fear that Riza would shoot them and Roy BBQ them.

But anyway that statement was the perfect proof it was still very much colonel Roy Mustang sitting in front of them. Still as much kicking on his power as ever.

"They're the symbol of loyalty." Ed agreed. "But I rather hope they're friends and not servants."He added before looking at the colonel again.

"After all friends are better than servants, don't you think?! Servants do what you say cause their rank or position is lower, friends do it out of loyalty and love for their friends. Servants turn against you once they found a better master, real friends don't. So in the end when you really need it you better wish he's a friend and not a servant."Ed said opening a discussion point.

"As higher ranked military officer you should agree right?!"

Roy poured himself a glass of scotch from the bottle on the small table beside him and drank a sip before replying with a slight, ghost of an ironic smile

''I suppose for humans, your right. But dogs don't have the sense to turn against you. Be a jerk to them and they never complain, maybe humans would but dogs.. no.'' He shook his head.  
''They are loyal no matter what.''

"You know I really I hope to be there the day a dog bites you. I will laugh!" Ed announced.

There was something in his voice that suggested admiration for that quality.

"Beside I don't think letting yourself be used as someone's personal slave is a admirable quality. But then again I guess that's the military brain washing." Ed added showing his clear disgust for the army.

But then Roy smirked in a puzzled manner.  
''Who knew you were so soft, Fullmetal? I didn't think you had time for friends.''

"I'm not soft! Friends have nothing to do with being soft." Ed snapped immediately.

"We have a lot of friends." He added then. "We don't only make enemies during our adventures."

"Beside having friends doesn't proof your soft it proofs your human." Ed added completely convinced.  


"So tell me colonel do you have any real friends?" He asked then a bit venomously as the colonel had managed to get his short temper working again.

Edward didn't always got how the colonels men could be so loyal to him. Hughes had always been clear about it that Mustang was his friend, Havoc had also made the point clear he was loyal to the colonel the first time when he had given Ed a ride and told him not to talk that bad about him, Armstrong also seemed pretty trustful and Hawkeye never left his side. But none of them had ever said why Roy deserved so much trust from them and it was something Ed really didn't understood.

''Elric...'' Roy paused a second, as though he was mulling over his words before he spoke. ''If you were not soft, would you have any friends? No-one likes an ass.''

He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone with his eyes closed as he drank some more scotch.

''In the military, your real friends are not only the ones who suck up to you, or the ones you can have a laugh with, like so many of your friends are. Your friends are the ones who understand you to your core, the ones you work with you like a well-oiled machine!''

''The ones who you relate to, the ones who all have a common goal, the ones who would DIE for you, and you for them!!'' He got more intense and heated as he spoke, clenching a fist in the air and pointing abruptly at Ed, his eyes snapping open.  
''I do have friends, Fullmetal. The best kind of friends there are.''

''Can you say the same?''

The conversation was getting a bit deep for Al, so he just stole the puppy off Ed and petted it.

At the no-one likes an ass Ed just snorted. Hit point straight away as it described pretty much why he didn't liked the colonel too much.

"Who ever said I can only have a laugh with my friends!" Ed protested. "I trust my friends with my live but that doesn't mean I expect them to die for me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if any of them did." Ed answered just as heated.

He hadn't expected that the colonel would react like this on that comment. He had expected him to rather take it and laugh at him or something.

"Would you die for your men?" He asked then, it being a question this time and not an attack.

''A hundred times over.'' Was Roy's answer, his voice -although calm- betraying a genuine tone even though he made it sound nonchalant, Alphonse could almost feel the intensity of those words.

''Um, sir- are you ok there?'' He asked as Roy filled up his glass again, knocking back almost half of it in the one gulp.  
''Maybe you've had enough alcohol.''

''Maybe.'' Roy took another mouthful and Al cringed. The colonel wasn't listening.

''What about you, Fullmetal? You think I've a heartless dictating shmuck to sends men out to die for me while I gain weight behind a safe desk?'' He asked, a little drunk.

Ed eyed the glass in disgust. He didn't get why adults liked to drink that stuff. It smelled bad and it made people act all weird or throw up. But he didn't try to reason with the colonel as he was pretty sure he would get BBQ if he tried to take the glass away from him, even if it was for the colonel's own good.

"I didn't said that." Ed corrected calmly. "I don't doubt seeing you on the battle field." He added referring to the few things he had heard about Ishbal. "I just worry about how far you would go to climb in your rank." He added.

''You didn't ansswwer my question.'' Roy slurred a little, pointed at Edward.

''As for my rise to Fuhrer? I don't have to go very far. Hard work ,determination and the current Fuhrer's old age will get me there myself!! Ahahahahhaha!!'' Roy threw his head back and cackled a little under the influence of the scotch.

Or was it? It was hard to tell with the colonel.

Al lost it. ''HE'S GONE CRAZY BROTHER, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!'' The boy shrieked, freaking out and running around in circles, send the small table with the scotch on it flying.

''Get his gloves, one click of them in his drunk state and we're dead!!'' Even though he was just 15, Al was still a little childish, seeing as he didn't have much of a childhood. More to the point- he was easily scared. Especially by a cackling drunk madman.

Ed had a huge sweat drop at this little outburst. "I knew it." He muttered. "The day you become Furher I'll resign immediate."

As Al started freaking Ed got knocked off the couch and looked at his little brother that was running around like crazy and Black Hayate mimicking his lead and running around as well barking.

"Okay..."Ed said with another nice sweat drop. Live could take odd turns for sure.

xxx

xxxxxxxxxx

xxx

**Author note:**

Bwhaha, Ed and Roy going deep. XP

I think this chap was rather funny, yet serious. More fun coming in the next chap. I'll give you a hint, it will involve another chara coming in, Minnie-skirts and more deep talks up to you to guess.

Action will also come in one of the future chap's.

Please R&R or visit the board, still lot's of place and lot's of pictures on it by now.


	3. Chap 3: Sleep over prt 2

**Sleep over prt 2**

_''As for my rise to Fuhrer? I don't have to go very far. Hard work ,determination and the current Fuhrer's old age will get me there myself!! Ahahahahhaha!!'' Roy threw his head back and cackled a little under the influence of the scotch._

_''Get his gloves, one click of them in his drunk state and we're dead!!'' Even though he was just 15, Al was still a little childish, seeing as he didn't have much of a childhood. More to the point- he was easily scared. Especially by a cackling drunk madman._

_"Okay..."Ed said with another nice sweat drop. Live could take odd turns for sure._

xxx

**Sleep over part 2: Furher for Miniskirts! To be or not to be stoic?**

"Calm down Al!" Ed tried to catch the pup while trying to calm his brother as well.

Then there was the doorbell ringing.

"Al go see who it is. If it's no help send them away. No-one can see the colonel like this or he'll get himself in big trouble." Ed commanded.

Al calmed down. After being so quiet for so long, his fear mixed with childishness and pent-up energy caused outbursts like that.  
''Ok.'' He meekly went to the door.

Next Ed putted down Black Hayate back and pointed a finger at the pup.

"And you behave and stay and be quite. Unlike the lieutenant I can't aim with guns if you get my drift." The pup lied on the ground at this with a little cry and holding his head down staying obedient.

"And now for you!" Ed added as he walked to the colonel and snapped the bottle away and for safety tried to get off his gloves.

xxx

Meanwhile outside first lieutenant Riza Hawkeye was standing in front of the door. She was tapping her foot on the ground a bit impatient.

As it had been great weather all day, she had decided to go by foot to the colonel's place to pick up Black Hayate but apparently the weather hadn't agreed. When she had been half way it had started raining and now she was soaked. And as she still was in her military cloth, she had staid a bit longer at the base to finish some work, it was rather uncomfortable as the cloths were heavy.

"Come on." She muttered as it was starting to get rather cold.

xxx

''Ah-ah Fullmetal- too slow!'' Roy dived, catching the bottle and landing with a thud on the floor, quickly putting the bottle to his lips and gulping the rest down and using his foot to shove Ed away from his precious gloves by keeping his foot against Ed's stomach so he couldn't reach.

''Too short, fullshrimp.'' Roy panted, smirking and downing the some more as he lay on the floor contentedly.

"Damn it, stupid, idiot!" Ed cursed heated as he tried to reach out at the colonel and tried to push his foot away. Curse his smallness.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT YOU WOULD STEP ON WITHOUT NOTICING! I AM NOT SHORT!" Ed said exploding at this matter. He clapped his hands together and made managed to touch the bottle for a second, making the rest that was still left in the bottle disappear.

xxx

Al opened the door with a crack, seeing Riza Hawkeye outside he bowed quickly and let her in.

''Lieutenant Hawkeye! Nice to see you! You're all wet, come in!'' He ushered her in just as a loud explosion came from around the door and Roy's voice yelling; ''-ND THATS for threatening my dog you child-sized idiot!!''

Al sweat dropped. ''Um... I wouldn't go in there if I were you.'' He cautioned nervously, knowing what came next.

Black Hayate yipped, smelling his mistress and bounded out into the hallway, panting happily and jumping up to Riza's knees, barking with joy.

Riza looked all surprised as she saw Alphonse opening the door and bowing instead of the Mustang smirking like she had expected.

She entered the house and took of her upper vest hanging it at the side. At least now she was just wet but ride of the heavy fabric of the vest.

Then she turned to Al. "Al what are you doing here?" She asked surprised. And if Al was here didn't that meant Edward would be around as well? The Elric's were rarely apart.

"Is..." She was rudely interrupted as a loud bang came from the living room and Black Hayate looking upset and jumping against her. Riza quickly patted him on the head. "Stay!" She said to the pup before ignoring Al's advice and immediately running to the next room stopping in the door opening in shock at the next sight.

Ed was sitting on the ground against a wall, which now held a big black spot against it close enough to Ed's head, on a little distance of Mustang.

"ARE YOU COMPLEETLY CRAZY!" Ed snapped back."No wait stupid question." He added before clapping his hands together and turning his automail into a sword and managing to rip one of the two gloves.

Once Riza got over the shock she took out her guns taking a few quick shots at the fighting pair, missing them with a few inches as she tried to get their attention.

Al had quickly filled Riza in. ''The colonel offered us a place to stay.'' Was all he managed to say before this fandango took off.

''You had better be willing to buy me another bottle before I make you even shorter.'' Roy stood, cursing as he stared at his ripped glove.

''On second thoughts, you'd better have spare automail!!'' He voice rose to a shout on the last word as a huge fireball sprouted from his finger tips and spiralled towards Ed's face, only Al jumping in the way as the fire exploded harmlessly against his metal body stopped Ed from getting fried.

"Yeah I'll buy you another bottle, and then smash it over your head!" Ed bit back.

Ed shielded his face with his arms as it was too late to dodge anyway. That was definitely going to hurt. He looked up as he noticed no exaggerated heat followed. He stood up, feeling relieved that Al had helped him out on that on but not showing it though. "My face is not an automail you idiot! Take aim classes you big jerk!" Ed yelled trying to get passed Al.

Al brushed the soot from his own chest plate and scolded Ed.

"He started it!" Ed defended himself towards Al.

It was only then (and the new bullets in his wall) that Roy noticed the Lieutenant (completely ignoring Ed).  
''Hawkeye!'' He greeted almost pleasantly.

"Colonel." Riza replied, the annoyance clear in her voice but never less giving him a quick salute.

He walked over to Riza almost normally, his eyes straying down her wet clothes and body for a few seconds before he looked back up at her face like he just realized it. ''You're wet.''

''I'd say it suited you, but I don't want to die before my time- god forbid you take a compliment..'' He swayed a little.

''Uhm, he's drunk.'' Alphonse added a little unnecessarily, and nervously.

"I see." Riza said as she putted her guns away again.

Riza looked at the colonel with a stern expression as she stood her arms crossed and tapping her foot a bit impatient. "Yes I noticed sir." She said as he hair was dripping.

At Roy's comment she just gave him an ice cold glare that would freak out anyone. And his starring didn't really help her mood earlier. "Then don't sir, because with all the respect I still have bullets left." She said before she looked at Ed. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah of course." Ed said not meaning to snap as much as he did. After all it wasn't the lieutenants fault that Mustang was a jerk.

"Good." Riza said before turning back to the younger of the two Elric brothers. "Alphonse take Edward and Black Hayate along up stairs, second room at the right should be the guestroom. Go to bed." She commanded strictly leaving no room for argument.

Ed just growled annoyed giving Mustang another hateful glare. He had rather tried to give the colonel a few more punches but considering the state the lieutenant was in currently, and he didn't wanted any bullet holes in his body, the colonel was in enough problems just like that it seemed. Seeing the lieutenant like that reminded Ed of Winry when she was angry with him, the wrath of the wrench! Ed shuddered, he almost pitied the colonel. Almost but not quite.

Al nodded, picking Ed up and walking as quickly and as quietly as he could out of the room, not wanting to get either of them shot at. The puppy followed at a call as the door slammed shut behind all three.

Next Riza turned back to the colonel. "Now as for you sir." She said as she grabbed his wrist and took of his other glove stuffing it away in her pocket, making sure Alchemy would be out of his reach, before pushing him in the couch as he didn't looked all too stable on his feet the way he was swaying.

"I'm sorry colonel but this is for your own good. Permission to speak?!" She asked but didn't wait for a yes, while putting the table in place again and picked up the glass putting it at the side. She waited till she was sure she had heard the door upstairs close and that no-one else was listening before continuing to scowl the colonel.

"What were you thinking sir?!" She snapped angry as she turned back to glare at him but staying 'polite'. "Getting drunk. In front of two minors! A superior officer getting DRUNK in front of one of his men and a civilian, which are both KIDS?! Do you have any idea how that could have negative effects on your rise for Fuhrer. If it had been anyone else or if this would have leaked out to superiors. And then picking a fight with one of them! I know you two don't like each other but killing each other is a bit exaggerated don't you think! Did you even honestly believed that you could aim to miss in _this_ state." He raved at him before calming down a bit again.

There was a silence for a moment. Riza continued cleaning up the mess they had made before turning back to look at the Mustang.

"What happened sir?" She asked then her voice turning from anger to concerned. So Mustang could be a pain in the ass sometimes but it wasn't his habit to drink that much that he ended up drunk, nor that he would lose control and exchange the smug 'charming' grin for aggressive behaviour. Something that hit a nerve with him must have happened or been said. Riza knew him for too long and too well by now to not notice that.

Roy shrugged, running his hands through his hair and sinking back into the seat.  
''Just had a bad day, Lieutenant.'' Was all he said.

''Besides, within the privacy of my own home, whom I drink in front of is not the military's business.''

He couldn't- and wasn't about to tell Hawkeye what this was about. She had always been there for him, backing him up and covering his ass in the line of fire.  
However, she was not his shrink. He didn't need to tell her what this was about.

Last night he hadn't slept, dreaming of the war again. That Winry girl's parents... and the barbaric way they died-it wasn't something he admitted often but even the thought of them brought back everything, and after a rotten day all he needed was a drink to push everything away.

''Lets just say it was one of my off-days, Hawkeye.''  
He suggested in a blasé voice and stood once again, starting to clean away some of the knocked-over furniture.  
To be honest, it was one of those days when he just didn't care. He just wanted it to be over and damn who's round to see him.

''Of course, it was bad etiquette, and your right, but I promise, tomorrow I'll be back on form.''

The smug charming grin was back.  
''And this won't get leaked, the major and his brother are my guests and I doubt they'd abuse their hosts hospitality by talking freely about this.'' He had calculated that from the start.

''Though scolding a superior is a sure-fire way to not get a promotion.'' He smirked softly but then his face turned much more serious. ''But thank you.''

''I probably have some clothes you can change into while those dry.''

Riza let out a silent sigh.

He wasn't going to tell her.

Riza cursed to herself, why did he always had to be so stubborn. She was convinced it was once again about the war. It was something who hunted all who had been there, some more as others as some had been through a real hell and the colonel was one of those. It hurt all of his friends to see him in that state and it hurt Riza even more that he never wanted to open up about it. He had done so on a few very rare occasions but it hadn't been enough. It was still tormenting him and he kept it to himself.

"I'm just worried about you sir." She whispered quietly.

Riza silently helped cleaning up the rest of the knocked over stuff. It was no use to ask about it. He wouldn't tell and he had the right to keep it to himself after all no matter how much she wanted to help him.

As the smug grin returned Riza slightly smiled. It was a start.

"I don't care about my promotions colonel, but about yours." She said calmly. Sure having promotions was always good and she was proud of being the highest ranked woman in the army but getting the colonel to be Furher was her goal and not herself. 

"You're welcome." She added.

"Thank you sir." She added about the cloths matter. "Colonel, permission to speak?"

Roy saw the worry in her eyes and almost smiled.  
Almost.

''I'm fine, Lieutenant. Talking never solved anything. I'm not going to burden you with this.''

For a second his gloved hand rested lightly on her shoulder before he changed it into a pat and walked towards the table, returning it to its upright position.

''Permission granted.'' He stopped and looked at her, wondering when before did she ever need his permission.

"You are a stubborn idiot sometimes!" Riza said. That were words that needed permission for. She wouldn't say such a disrespectful things usually but sometimes it really took away the frustration.

"It might not solve anything but it could give you some peace. And I don't mind the burden. I'm always there for you to talk and you know it yet you always keep quite. It's normal you don't want to talk about it but you can't keep facing such a things alone all the time. Everybody needs to cry out his frustrations once in a while, figuratively anyway. I understand if not to me but then at least talk to Hughes. You've been slacking the last few weeks, you have bags under your eyes, it's pretty obvious you've been missing sleep again." Riza finished frustrated.

Then she took a firm salute stand again. "I'm sorry for this outburst sir, I don't regret saying these things because I'm convinced you need someone to tell it to you once in a while. Please forgive my bluntness." She said very military like.

Roy just stared at her as she raved on a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his lips.  
''Thank you for your concern Lieutenant.'' He replied crisply with a short nod, amused at how she could ask for his permission to speak, them insult him.

That personality of hers was such an enigma.  
That was probably one of the reason's he...

''However you needn't worry.'' Roy straightened his cuffs as though he was back in the military uniform out of habit.  
''I understand your worry, but offloading my memories on you would just hurt someone else in the long list of people that were scarred during that war.''

''And I'm not prepared to do that.''

He clapped his hands, suddenly becoming brisk. ''Now, about those clothes.''

Riza growled a bit frustrated. Of all things he was smiling by her raving?! SMILING?! ARGH!! God that man could be annoying sometimes. He was impossible! So she decided to drop the subject, for the time being.

"Do you have any cloths that would fit me sir?" Riza asked then. They weren't exactly the same height, or built or gender for that matter.

''That depends..'' Roy stroked his chin and looked at her thoughtfully for a few seconds.

Before he held up a finger. ''How would you feel about miniskirts?''

"Mini-skirts?!" Riza repeated completely dumbstruck as she starred at him. "You are kidding right?" She asked.

"Why the hell would _you_ have female cloths in your house?" She said giving him a suspicious glare.

''Well up to this point you seemed to be happy with wearing any female clothes I had in the house Lieutenant, what's the problem now?'' Roy argued back, shrugging and looking innocently harassed.

"I was expecting some old shirt or pants or something like that not a mini-skirt!" Riza defended.

Then she seemed to think of something. "I'm not going to wear anything that one of your many little girlfriends happened to have forgotten here."

At the last comment Roy paused with his mouth open and a finger pointing at Hawkeye as if he was going to yell at her for being so forward. But it took him a few seconds to think up a way out of this.  
''That .. isn't the case. You would do well not to accuse a superior officer, Hawkeye!''  
He scolded self-righteously, covering it up and trying to regain his pride.

''Assumptions will get you nowhere, I was referring to clothes that were left here before I moved in.'

For a moment the colonel looked like he was going to yell at her and Riza felt relieved when he didn't. After all he never yelled at her. Come to think of it, she started to wonder why he was so much more patient with her then he was with anybody else.

At his warning she gave him a cold glare. "My apology sir." She said a bit reluctant.

Mustang had to chuckle. ''Relax Hawkeye, we're not in the military now.'' He ordered.

"Yes sir." She said out of pure habit while mentally slapping herself.

"Ow great cloths that are ready to fall apart?!" She muttered.

She seemed to be pouting for a moment. "What about a top?" She asked eventually. She wasn't agreeing yet but she was starting to get rather cold.

Roy saw he wasn't going to get anywhere with this. After all Riza may have been under his command but she was as stubborn as a mule and short of ordering her to do it he didn't know what would work.

''You know this is just prolonging what you will have to do when I'm Fuhrer.'' He commented lightly, shrugging and walking into his wardrobe, pulling out a shirt of his and tossing it out to her. ''Try that.''

''As for bottoms.. you wore a skirt to a funeral a few months ago, what's the problem now?''

"Yes right, the mini-skirt clothing rule." She rolled her eyes. "Have you even considered how difficult that would be for every female in the army that works on the field?" She argued while catching the shirt.

"That was a long skirt not a mini-skirt." She added in her defence while holding back a small shiver.

Roy shrugged. ''Difficult, Lieutenant? I wouldn't think so. Move room to move, less restricting clothing!!''  
''Besides, there's not a lot of female officers.''  
It was obvious he has thought this one through.

"And exactly. There are just a few female officers so don't you think they disserve some respect instead of using them as some...pleasurable watching material?"

''Short, long- what's the difference? The only people who are going to be here are yourself, Fullmetal, his brother and myself.'' Roy flashed the smug disarming grin at her that usually had women falling at his feet.

"I know." She added at his last argument. "I don't mind the Elric's. But you on the other hand sir. You're still not sober." She said. Ow yes she knew that grin. It was the 'Roy Mustang' trademark grin that would get him everything that he wanted from every female around. Except from Riza Hawkeye that is. Sure it was charming and all but Riza found it rather annoying. "And the difference is about 30 cm at least." She added dryly.

"I would just love to see you trying to run in a skirt." She said giving him a glare.

"Seriously why not immediately send us persuiting Scar in our underwear!" She added sarcastically.

Roy clicked his fingers and a devious sparkle twinkled in his eyes. ''Female officers in underwear. Excellent idea, Lieutenant!''  
Of course he was just doing it to annoy her.

"You could just as well force all male officers to walk around in their bare chest then. Major Armstrong wouldn't mind, what about you colonel?" She asked sarcastically again.

Riza was just about to say something else when she started sneezing out of the blue.

''Me? Hawkeye you should know my now that I have as many morals concerning my own body as Fullmetal does about military rules.'' He shrugged flamboyantly, the air around him almost sparkling.  
''Walking around bare-chested would be a pleasure for both myself and the female officers at the Hea-''  
The teasing mood stopped when Hawkeye sneezed.

''Ri-Leiutenant, are you alright?!'' He dropped the argument and grabbed the blanket off the couch, throwing it around her shoulders.  
''Never mind, I'll see you all in miniskirts soon enough. Now just stay warm.'' He grabbed the small pair of trousers he had and tossed them towards her.  
''These might fit.''

Riza rolled her eyes half annoyed half amused before sneezing again.

"I'm fine." She muttered, well this was embarrassing. She was Riza Hawkeye, she didn't do sick, and leave along that the colonel would have to worry about her, it was always the other way around usually.

"I'll keep you to that bare chest thing they day you force us to do the mini-skirt thing." She added before sneezing again.

"Th-hatshoei- thanks." She sniffed as she took them. "I'll be right back." She added before leaving with the cloths to change.

She had only been away for a few minutes before she was announced with another sneeze again. Riza was standing in the door opening with the blanket around her as she threw back the pants to Mustang.

"Mini-skirt please." She muttered. "And don't dare to say a word!" She added. The trousers hadn't fit.

''And its 1-0 to Mustang!''

Mustang just smirked and punched the air before throwing Riza the small white miniskirt and turning back to making the lieutenant some tea, his self-satisfied smirk still there.

The wonderful thing about being drunk was that all kinds of behaviour was excused. Even this boyish attitude.

Riza gave him an ice-cold glare. If it hadn't been for the alcohol she had killed him for that comment.

She caught the skirt and stomped of while sneezing and grumbling.

A few minutes later she came back in the room. "I hung up my cloths in the bathroom to dry. I hope you don't mind." She said as she was still wrapped in the blanket.

''No, that's okay.'' Roy hands her a cup of tea, slightly disappointed that the blanket was obscuring the view of her legs.

But as he turned around to be his own glass he grinned widely, looking serious as he turned back and sat opposite Riza.  
''So why did you call over, Lieutenant? I thought I was supposed to give Black Hayate to you this Saturday.''  
He asks serious.

Riza didn't miss that look. She rolled her eyes annoyed, typically men. She was starting to get really frustrated by his pushing and remarks.

"I told you 'colonel' the only day you'll see me in a mini-skirt will be the day you'll be in your bare chest." She commented dryly as she took the tea gratefully and sat on the couch wrapped up with the hot cup.

"I wanted to check on him. Every time you're watching over Black Hayate the entire discipline is gone again. It's odd as you don't mind snapping your fingers at the young Elric when he doesn't follow the rules completely. Beside it was on my way home. And I heard about the two Elric being back and not having a place so I came to see if you knew anything about that sir." She added while sipping from her tea.

''Well excuse me if I don't believe shooting at a dog to make it sit.'' Roy replied flawlessly, setting his cup down on the table.  
''As for the E brothers- question answered.''

He paused. ''But you really shouldn't have said that first part.''

Roy smirked, standing up and seizing the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up and off his head before tossing it in a corner.  
It was freezing, but he still posed with his hands on hips and grinned down at his lieutenant.

''Your turn.'' He smirked at her.

As the colonel stood up and half stripped Riza looked at him surprised.

"What? That wasn't what I meant sir. I..." He had her there. She should have thought twice before saying such a stupid thing but because of the sneezing she wasn't thinking 100 clear.

"Fine." She grumbled as she stood up putting the blanket at the side. Riza turned around showing off the blasted mini-skirt before putting her hands on her hips and giving the colonel an annoyed glare. "There happy now?!" She added as her wet hair was dripping on the shirt.

"Now as flame alchemist can't you put on a fire because it's really freezing in here."

Roy clenched his fists in a victory pose. ''And its 2-1 to MUSTANG!!''  
He announced loudly to no-one in particular with a triumphant tone.

At the next victory cry Riza threw a pillow at his head in annoyance.

He crossed his arms, leaning his chin on one hand as he surveyed his lieutenant with a wry smirk. ''Not bad, Hawkeye.''

"Not bad? Is that your way of flattering girls? You just made your 'lady man' being even more mysterious then it already was." She said. 2-2!

''It's like the day I become Fuhrer has came early.'' He sighed happily, knowing very well it annoyed her.

"You aren't there yet sir!" She pointed out.

For a reply he snapped his fingers and a fire roared up in the stove next to them. ''There, although god knows how you put up with me, Lieutenant.'' He sat back down.

"I'm asking myself the same thing right now." Riza agreed as she wrapped herself up again and sat in front of the fire.

''If you weren't half as stoic this wouldn't bother you. You know I partly do it to annoy you.''

"I'm not stoic!" She protested.

''Oh please Lieutenant, you're more stoic than Armstrong is.'' Roy leaned forward, smiling in a superior way.  
3-2!

"I am not stoic. I'm strict. You should know as you knew my father and know the way I was raised so don't blame me for acting like this. And I'm not stoic." She defended stubbornly.

''And what was I supposed to say? Any other comment that might have led to me saying something nice about your figure you have ended up in you sitting on my chest, punching my head through the wall.'' He shrugged flamboyantly, taking a sip of tea.

"And I wouldn't have done that." She added. "I might have shot at you." she added in a muttered.

"And it's not that I can appreciate a compliment but it loses its value when you say the same thing to everyone who wears a skirt." She added coldly, not that she was jealous or anything.

Roy looked a bit surprised, as if he had never considered that before.  
The colonel leaned back, looking at her.  
''So what's your point, Hawkeye- do you WANT it to have value?''

''Because saying you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen is cliché, and also against the rules.''  
He shrugged.  
Not saying that that was true, it was just an example.  
Or something.

"I didn't say that either sir." Riza said calmly. "You just don't have to be surprised of my 'stoic', as you call it, reactions on compliments I see as nothing more than empty teases."

"And I agree. It would be an awful cliché and it would endanger your promotion." She replied very calm.

''See? THATS what I'm talking about.'' Roy pointed triumphantly at Riza, clicking his fingers in the exact second.

''But aside from that, the FUHRUR could confess his undying love for you, and you're so stoic all you'd do is blink and shoot the man!! You, Lieutenant Hawkeye, need to be more feminine!''  
He ordered grandly, loving this teasing her.

''It wasn't an empty tease, I was being serious about the miniskirt thing!'' There was a pause.  
''Stoic or not, you have very nice legs.''

"Might I remind you sir that you can be just as stoic as I am. Your relationship to Edward is a good example." She said. 3-3!

"If that Fuhrer says that to every woman he sees, yes I'd shoot him." She snapped getting very irritated in a warning.

"And I am feminine in my own time. If I'd be during work it would only be distracting and as the army is a men's world I need to be this way to have gotten this far." She added ignoring the other comment.

''Quite right! In the military it is essential!!'' Mustang proclaimed loudly, slapping a fist into his thigh for emphasis.

''However you seem to have forgotten HOW to switch off that side of you, unlike myself, as you can see..'' He gestured towards his lacklustre clothing and attitude.

''All I'm saying Lieutenant, is that I'm not mocking you, you are very attractive I'm sure but unless you learn to lighten up and take some teasing once in a while you'll be single forever.'' Roy said in a advising and slightly defensive voice.

There was a pause after that. ''Actually, that came out wrong.''

During the colonel's entire little speech she didn't said a word but just glared at him in silence really starting to lose her temper.

Okay that had been it. She could take a lot of him, really A LOT but this was just too much. He had crossed the line there and Riza completely lost her temper on that point. Insulting her and teasing then just to say it was her fault for being 'stoic?!' and taking wrong.

"Damn right there!" She snapped as she took out her gun in a flash shooting 3 times at the colonel for good measures. Of course she wouldn't really hurt him but it was her way to warn him to lay back and leave her alone like Roy had done earlier with her when she tried to make him open up about the war.

Roy was about to rephrase that, however he didn't have to as three more bullets zoomed towards him to join their comrades from earlier buried in his wall.

He froze, but of course all the bullets missed. His first reaction would have been to either yell at her for botching up his house or try to make amends so he didn't get the next one in the head, but he stopped a plan forming.

''A-A-AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!'' He roared, dropping to his knees off the chair and falling into the floor, writhing about in fake agony. ''Ugh...ugh... Aggh..h'' He copied the agonised breathing and groans of a shooting victim perfectly.

As he writhed, he kept a hand firmly clamped over his left shoulder, where a bullet had grazed, drawing a tiny bit of blood but not hurting him. Just enough to add to the effect.

''Arrggh...Aggghhhh!!''

He moved his hand an inch towards his chest. Not enough to be noticed, but enough to look dangerous yet non-fatal. And the blood from his shoulder added to that, even for those few drops.  
''G-guh..godammi... '' He gritted his teeth, eyes wide with 'pain', looking every inch the perfect shot victim.

Riza lowered her gun as the colonel staid quite. Finally. But she hadn't expected what came next.

To her huge surprise and confusion the colonel screamed out in agony and fell to the floor.

Riza starred in pure shock at the scene as she had let her gun fall to the ground in shock. The first few seconds she stood nailed to the ground, her eyes wide as she starred at the colonel in complete horror.

Once she noticed a few droplets of blood falling down of his chest to the ground she was pulled out of her shocked trance.

Riza immediately rushed over kneeling beside him. "Colonel?"She called hysterically as she turned him on his back. "Colonel Roy Mustang?!" She was freaking at this point. Hearing him scream in such an agony and then see the blood and...

How could this have happened? She never missed, meaning she never hit when she didn't want to. Never did this happened before. Never should such a thing have happened to start with.

Riza quickly torn of the sleeve of the shirt to attempt to the 'wound' while apologising over and over. "I'm sorry sir, I...I..don't understand how..th..this happened. I'm so sorry. I..." She raved freaking out completely. Being very unlike her usual calm self. But seeing the colonel hurt and it being her fault made her snap completely.

She was supposed to protect him not to kill him.

xxx

Upstairs, Al stopped petting the puppy. ''Do you hear that? Sounds like ..groaning..''

Ed looked at Al careless. He was lying on the bed and starring at the ceiling. "Maybe the lieutenant finally lost her temper with the colonel and killed him." Ed joked before sitting up. "If that's the case we should go down and thank her!" He added. "Or they are a 

couple after all and they are making out and being loud about it." He added disturbed at the thought.

"Come on. Let's go check it out!" Ed said as he stood up and opened up the door as the noise downstairs really had him intrigued by now.

Once arrived downstairs Ed peeked through the open door of the living room to see what was going on.

What he saw next could definitely be added to his 'surprised like hell' list.

The colonel Mustang was lying on the ground groaning and the lieutenant Hawkeye was hanging over him, making the two of them end up in a very suggestive position. And the lieutenant was wearing a mini-skirt. Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye would _never_ wear a mini-skirt.

"I knew it!" Ed exclaimed at this odd sight.

Colonel Mustang looked up from his position on the ground and froze.  
Hawkeye was close enough to be straddling him, he had no shirt on and ..this wasn't good.

''Uh...It isn't what it looks like.'' Was the first thing he said, struggling to his elbows.

xxx

xxxxxxxxxx

xxx

**Author note:**

I love ending on such a 'meaningful sentences'. 'Ow boy', 'okay...-.-", 'it isn't what it looks like'. Admit it, it are the perfect words to end a chapter. :p

See what did I told you. Riza Hawkeye coming in, miniskirts and lot's of more out of hand going situations.

As for a hint about the next chapter: more deep going conversations, some 'drama', and Roy being Roy as usual.

Please R&R or join the board and help writing along. XP Still alot characters are free: Winry, all the sins, Hughes, Scar, ... (a.k.a. all charac's except the 4 used till now).


	4. Chap 4: Sleep over prt 3

**Sleep over prt 3**

_''Actually, that came out wrong.''_

_"Damn right there!" She snapped as she took out her gun in a flash shooting 3 times at the colonel for good measures._

_He froze, but of course all the bullets missed. He stopped a plan forming._

_''A-A-AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!'' He roared coping the agonized breathing and groans of a shooting victim perfectly._

_Upstairs, Al stopped petting the puppy. ''Do you hear that? Sounds like ..groaning..'' _

_Ed looked at Al careless. He was lying on the bed and starring at the ceiling. "Maybe the lieutenant finally lost her temper with the colonel and killed him." Ed joked before sitting up. "If that's the case we should go down and thank her!" He added. "Or they are a couple after all and they are making out and being loud about it." He added disturbed at the thought._

_The colonel Mustang was lying on the ground groaning and the lieutenant Hawkeye was hanging over him, making the two of them end up in a very suggestive position. _

_"I knew it!" Ed exclaimed at this odd sight. _

_Colonel Mustang looked up from his position on the ground and froze. ''Uh...It isn't what it looks like.''_

xxx

**Sleep over part 3: Opening up...**

"Sure."Ed said sarcastically with a grin.

Al poked his head around the corner beside Ed and froze. ''S-sorry!'' He squeaked, backing up the stairs very quickly.

''The kind lieutenant here shot me.'' Mustang growled an explanation through gritted teeth.

A small flashback of when he sarcastically told the Elric brother that him and Riza were lovers unhelpfully came into mind.

He waved his bloody hand up. ''It alright Lieutenant, I was bluffing, I'm not that badly hurt.''  
''Consider it a lesson about shooting a superior officer.'

As Mustang sat up again and started battering excuses and saying it was bluff Riza looked relieved at first before looking angry and hurt. And...having tears in her eyes.

Riza raised her hand as if she was ready to slap him but then stopped.

Instead she stood up without a word and stormed out of the house into the raining streets, still in the cloths the colonel had given her.

"Wow smooth move colonel." Ed commented sarcastically from the door opening.

Roy sighed, running a hand through his hair and getting up. He ignored Ed, pulling on a t-shirt and legging it out of the room after his Lieutenant. ''Hawkeye!'' He called, staring down the hall after her.

He sighed, leaning against a wall and inspecting the cut on his shoulder as the alcohol slowly wore off with the adrenaline. ''Well THAT went well''

He knew she shouldn't be out in the rain by herself, but he didn't know what to do. In all his years of a ladies-man, this was one time that stumped him.

"Well you deserved that one." Ed said as he stood with his hands on his hips. Unlike Al he hadn't fled the scene.

''What I deserved isn't the issue- my already sick and weak Lieutenant is out there in the rain and I have to get her.'' Roy stood up, pulling on his coat that lay strewn over a kitchen counter.

''We can talk about how much of a bad boy I've been when Ri- when Hawkeye isn't endangered of getting pneumonia.''

He made as though he was going to run out the door but he paused, looking a bit confused. ''But what the hell do I do to stop a pissed-off military official from shooting at me again!?'' He turned to Ed. ''You had better help me out here, Fullmetal shrimp!''

Ed couldn't help but have a small amused grin at how the otherwise so cool and cold colonel Mustang was taken over by worries for his first lieutenant.

"Talk to her." Ed suggested with a shrug.

"You scared the hell out of her by pretending you're hurt. She acted just like Winry always does, only she held back. Winry just hits me with her wench." Ed added rubbing the back of his head at the memory.

"Apologize. Let her know you appreciate the way she looks after you. Be serious for once and don't hide behind your perv power colonel mask." Ed suggested getting serious now.

"And I wouldn't worry about getting shot. The lieutenant left her guns." He added as he pointed at the guns on the ground.

"And...I'M NOT A SCHRIMP!"

Roy just looked at Ed for a second then nodded towards the boy, picking up the blanket and heading out the door, down the flights of stairs and into the pouring rain.

''Lieutenant Hawkeye.'' He caught up with her easily enough, walking up behind her and wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. ''You'll catch your death out here.'' His voice was unusually gentle and for once his eyes almost portrayed a soft glimmer of worry.

When the colonel caught up with her and wrapped a blanket around her Riza didn't even react the least at first. As he started talking Riza felt slightly surprised at the tad of worry in his voice.

''I'm...sorry if I startled you, it's the alcohol talking.'' He wanted to talk to her genuinely, to make her look at him and forgive him so everything could stop being so awkward and she would understand, but he didn't know how. The military had a habit of taking peoples humanity away.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. ''I realize I was a bit of an ass back there and..I'm sorry. No matter what I was worried about it was no excuse to get drunk and act like that.''

''If I can ever make it up to you..''

"It's not the teasing that bothered me." Riza started as she finally looked at him in the eyes.

"I'm used to that, I can take it and we always quarrel like that. And you have all right to get drunk in your own time." She continued.

"But what the hell Roy?!" Riza said while rubbing away the tears.

"I understand you being angry with me or losing your patience with me for talking back. Yell at me then, curse me, take my grade if that makes you feel better but this?!"

"Do you have any idea how much you scared me? I thought I killed the man I vowed to protect no matter what." She said a bit hysterically as he had really scared the crap out of her. It rather still of shock and to overcome the fear that she was crying and trembling like this instead of out of anger.

"Do you have any idea how frightened I was?! I…I thought I k..killed you…I thought I killed you." She said still in complete shock.

Roy sighed. ''Riza...'' He said, not even realizing that for these few seconds they were on first-name terms.

For a second he just pulled her gently towards him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, just for a second. ''I'm so sorry.'' He said in a low voice. ''And that isn't something you'll hear me say often.'' He let go of her and smiled a little.

''It - I only did it to wind you up, to see that other side of you.. I didn't think.'' He held his arm up, protecting her face from the rain. ''Any severe beatings you want to give me right about now would be in order.''

In another lifetime, he thought, this might have been romantic.

"You are a pain in the ass colonel Roy Mustang!" Riza said while slightly hitting him on the shoulder before sneezing again.

"Let's just forget about this and go back in before we're both sick." She suggested.

Mhhh this kinda felt nice...no wait wrong thoughts she reminded herself.

He had to laugh, rubbing his shoulder. Admittedly it felt good just to joke a little without the etiquette of the military. ''Of course.'' He led her back inside, sneezing himself.

He let her in first before walking into his room and quickly changing into pajama bottoms and a large blanket to stop his shivering.

''Don't tell me you need a change of clothes again Lieutenant, I only have so many miniskirts.'' He grumbled jokingly, completely deadpan as he walked out of his room.

Tonight was fun, but tomorrow he would pass it off on the alcohol.

"They're drying." Riza said as she pointed at the mini-skirt and the shirt that where hanging in front of the fire. Herself she sat on the ground with the blanket completely wrapped around her and her hair loose as she was drying it in front of the fire.

She sneezed again before looking back at the colonel. "Are you okay?" She asked then.

Roy nodded, going and sitting a few inches away, drying his hair off near the fire.

''Nothing that a mound of paperwork won't cure.'' He replied wryly. ''Scar's on the move again, and a load of red-tape is needed for his arrest.''

He looked at her as the firelight illuminated their faces and had to admit- she was very pretty, as he noticed so many times before- especially in that brunette officers glasses- but thoughts like that were not military-approved. So he looked back at the fire.

At the paperwork comment Riza couldn't help but smile amused. She always had to push the others to get their paperwork done.

At the mention of Scar however she turned serious again. "Do you think he'll come towards central again sir? He's still killing state alchemists. Fullmetal is back here now, and you're also on his list." She said hiding her worries.

''Oh Scar will come after Fullmetal soon- if he remembers to look on knee-level.'' Roy replied, totally straight-faced, leaning on one knee as he looked into the fire.

At the knee-level Riza hid a slightly chuckle. "You better not let him hear that sir."

''Myself too, but that's none of my concern yet. Scar's not stupid, so he shouldn't come to Central. But then again the bastard always has been unpredictable.'' He clenched his right fist angrily.

"He came before, even when he knew that there were soldiers everywhere after him. He doesn't care as long as he get what he wants: all of you dead."

''But when he does- maybe then we can honour all the great alchemists he murdered.''

Just for a second at the word _murder_ he thought of the dead soldiers in his unit of command. Nothing to do with Scar, but a reminder of the Ishbolian war. A muscle in his jaw twitched a bit. It just made it that much easier to put Scar away.

Riza leaned forwards grabbing something out of the pocket of the mini-skirt and threw back the glove she had taken from the colonel earlier.

"It's still drying." She said apologising. "Just make sure that when you'll face him again you hold onto your gun if it rains." She added with a small teasing grin.

He caught the glove, nodding his thanks but not smiling at the joke, taken by the sober mood.

At the mention of all the alchemists that had died by Scars hand Riza was quite for a moment. That was one thing she didn't had to worry about but she had know a lot of those men.

But this was about more than just Scar. She could see it just at the colonel's expression. Riza putted a comforting hand on his shoulder, knowing it to be better to say nothing on the sensitive subject.

As she put her hand on his shoulder, for the first time in years he opened up.

''All those people during the Ishbalian war, Lieutenant- they all believed in something, and we were told to kill them.'' He said in a broken voice, not caring that it was off-topic. ''The men who died and I sent them to their deaths... some things just don't go away. Most of the war didn't matter, just violence, like we were trained for.''

As the colonel started about the war the lieutenant was quite and listened carefully.

"Sir you just carried out your orders." Riza said. Okay that didn't sounded good.

"At that time we were convinced that we were fighting for a purpose. We were fighting alongside our friends, protecting each other while doing what we were told like we were trained to do. No one had ever thought it would turn out in such a massacre. No one had expected that we would be taking so many lives."

''But these two people- a married couple with a kid. A little girl about the same ages as Hughes's little one. Her parents were caught leaking information and...I had to kill them.''

''And now when I see Scar murdering these people, leaving families behind, little children who suddenly have to learn what it's like to lose a loved one.. he's destroying lives and it makes me so furious that I can't catch him and.. kill the bastard!'' He drove his fist into the floor in anger before shaking his head to clear it.

When Roy referred to the two doctors Riza was quite for a moment. "I know. I saw Marco when they dragged out the doctors their bodies. He told me what happened." She said quietly while starring at the fire.

"Sir did you..." She couldn't ask the question. Marco had only told her a part, but she knew there was more.

''Yes Lieutenant?'' As heavy as his voice sounded when he asked the question, Roy was starting to feel a little better.

She had been right, even admitting it to someone helped in some way, it was as if he was able to breathe again.

''What is it.''

Riza opened her mount to say something but then stopped again. She doubted whether or not to ask the question.

"Sir right before Marco deserted I saw him one more time." She started. "He...when I asked if he knew where you were he said he had seen you standing before the place of execution, right the same place you still were when I arrived. But...did you try to kill yourself?" She asked eventually.

Roy was caught off-guard. It was the one question he never thought she'd ask.

''I..'' He gritted his teeth. ''I thought at the time that there was no other way out.'' He looked away, still remembering the cold feeling of the gun barrel underneath his chin.

''I couldn't imagine living any longer.'' His brow furrowed as he stared at the floor.

It was the first time he confided in anyone.

"What made you change your mind?" Riza asked curiosity taking over.

Roy shook his head. ''Failure to pull the trigger.'' He replied bitterly. ''I don't know, I just couldn't give up. I thought, at least.. when I do die I might as well die for something, instead of another in the death toll of that pointless war.''

"You should be grateful you didn't." Riza muttered. _I am._

Riza still sat on the ground hugging her knees with the blanket around her. "And you won't die anytime soon sir, I'll make sure of that. You still have to become Furher remember." She added.

There was a silence again. Riza was looking at the flames in silence for a moment enjoying the warmth.

"Sir shouldn't we put Fullmetal under supervision again?" Riza asked eventually.

The colonel had opened up much more to her then she had ever expected. She knew it helped him but it also hurt him to talk about it and she didn't wanted to push him too much at once.

"Like last time. I know he didn't listened half of the time but at least it's a start. I know that second lieutenant Ross would be more than happy to take that task upon her and her colleague Brosh." Riza added.

"I can't understand how Scar can do such thing though." Riza added. "Half of the Alchemist he killed became State Alchemist long after the war. And Elric…Edward is just a child. Even if he wears the title of State Alchemist. He was just a toddler during the war how can Scar be so persistent to kill him."

''Scar's a sick vendetta.'' Roy growled. ''It doesn't matter who they are or whether he cares. The man is psychotic. He doesn't give a damn what age that boy is, he's the worst kind of dangerous out there.''

There was a pause as he thought her words over. ''Good idea. One of the reasons I let him stay here was so I could keep tabs on the brat.''  
He nodded. ''I'll inform Ross -and Elric- in the morning. That boy will not be harmed once he's in my city.''

He looked up. ''Oh, and Leiutena- never mind, it's okay.''

He was about to ask her to keep quiet about everything he had just said, but knew it was pointless. If he couldn't trust Hawkeye, there was no-one he could trust. She had always been there for him and he knew that this wouldn't leave her lips.

Also, this was the first time he had told anyone, a mark of how much he respected her that she was the one he opened up to. But she didn't have to know that.

XXXX

Once the colonel had left to run after the lieutenant Ed had grinned satisfied for a moment.

He had been in the kitchen when they came back and had staid quite deciding to let them talk it out on their own in peace. There would be plenty more time to tease the colonel later on.

Edward had just been on his way back upstairs with a glass of water when he caught a few words of the conversation as he couldn't stop his curiosity.

_'A married couple with a kid…at the time of the Ishbald war…a little girl of the same age as Hughes kid…kill them…doctors body…'_

'I should probably not be listing to this.' Ed realized as he quietly snuck up stairs.

"Hey Al you can stop cowering. I think the colonel and the lieutenant fixed things up." Ed said as he entered the guest room and let himself fall on the bed as he emptied the water in a bowl he put on the ground for the Black Hayate.

Ed lay on the bed with his arms under his head. Something was bothering him. The things he had just heard reminded him of something vaguely.

Al looked up from where he was shivering in a corner. ''That was strange...'' He said in a disturbed voice, sweat dropping.  
''I'll never be able to look a Colonel Mustang the sa- Ed? Are you alright?''

Ed hadn't really been listening to what his younger brother was saying.

Only when he heard his name he looked up. "Ow it's nothing." Ed said as he rubbed the back of his head embarrassed for spacing out. "I'm fine, I was just thinking." He added before looking to the ceiling again.

"Let's get some sleep." He proposed eventually. "If we're gonna exile ourselves in the library tomorrow we might as well be rested." He said as he pulled his blanket up.

"Night bro."

xxx

Riza smiled slightly at this. Edward had no idea how the colonel was protecting him. But knowing Mustang he probably didn't want him to know either.

Then there was another silence. Eventually Riza stood up feeling at the cloths she had hung before the fire. Well at least the mini cloths the colonel had given her were dry.

"I'm going to get those back on." Riza said as she stood up taking the cloths while still being wrapped in the blanket. "It's not all too comfortable to run around in just underwear and blankets." She muttered as she made her way to the bathroom.

Mustang nodded, standing also to stretch and check the time.

His pocket-watch lying on the table told him it was getting late. He glanced out the window at the stormy weather and knew there was no way Hawkeye could get home without being utterly soaked and getting more sick.

It had been a nice evening, despite the fiasco of earlier. His heart felt lighter somehow, as if it didn't seem so bad. The ghosts were still there, but now someone else knew.  
Riza Hawkeye...  
Sometimes he wondered if she wouldn't be the better Fuhrer.

''It's too stormy, you're going to have to stay the night.'' He remarked seriously, turning from the window, raising his voice so she could hear it from the bathroom.  
''I'll sleep on the couch, you can had the bed.''

"I'm fine with the couch sir." Riza called back from the bathroom.

She took out a towel and dried her hair first because otherwise her hair would just drip on the cloths getting her back where she started: wet!

Once her hair was dry Riza changed back into the mini-skirt and shirt.

Next she checked her military uniform but it was still wet as it was made of a much heavier fabric.

Riza looked outside with a sigh. The weather was still just as bad as a few hours ago if not worse.

Riza walked back into the room in the mini-skirt outfit before sitting on the ground again and wrapping the blanket around her again.

"Thank you sir." She added then sincerely. Not just for giving her shelter but mostly because he had opened up to her.

''Thanks for what? Not peeking while you changed? Because I have to admit, I was considering.'' Roy sat back down, his old self-assured grin back on his face as he raised an eyebrow at Hawkeye.

It seemed like the world wasn't normal unless he was being a conceited pervert and she was keeping him in check and rolling her eyes at something he said.

''But you're welcome.'' He answered sincerely, leaning forward to stoke the fire as a pattering of paws came down the stairs and Black Hayate snuck down and climbed up Riza's lap.

Riza gave him a glare at that.

"Be grateful to yourself for that because if you had you wouldn't have made it to Furher _with_ the possibility of having kids." She said coldly. Damn perv.

"Watch out or you'll get burned." She added then. Alchemy could be an amazing thing.

As Black Hayate suddenly climbed unto her lap Riza smiled warmly at the pup while patting it on the head.

"Hey there. Have you been good? Hasn't the colonel been teaching you too much bad manners again?" She asked warmly at the little pup.

''Nice of you, Lieutenant.'' Was Roy's sarcastic answer as Black Hayate barked a little, his tail wagging as he licked Riza's hand.

''Before I get castrated for this Lieutenant- that is not my doing.'' Mustang pointed at the pup, who had started to slobber.  
He also edged away a few inches, just in case Riza decided to kill him for not training the pup strictly.

Riza frowned first at Roy before looking down at the drooling pup.

Riza took a calming breath to overcome the frustration.

She grabbed her nearby gun making the pup immediately lower his head a bit.

"What did I tell you?!" She said sternly to as well the pup as the colonel while waving her gun.

"You should be more strict with him and you should know better by now!" She added to the puppy who looked rather sorry.

She let out a sigh again before scratching the pup's ear, slacking her sternness a bit. "Fine." She gave into the pup for once. "Just don't drool too much."

Then she looked at the colonel. "Who would have ever though this. The great Flame Alchemist colonel Roy Mustang, the lady's man, afraid of a woman." She added amused.

She just couldn't help but she wanted to get back at him at least a bit. Beside for the one time they could act so unmilitary like.

''Well can you blame me, Hawkeye?'' Roy said, eyeing the gun apprehensively.

''You did shoot me earlier on, Lieutenant.'' He pointed to his shoulder, raising an eyebrow.

He clicked his fingers and Black Hayate waddled over to him, climbing up unto his knees and cuddling into him.  
''Good little slave.'' He patted the dog on the head.

Riza gave him an icy glare while she threw her gun aside again.

"I'm sorry okay. But you moved. You should have just stood still. You know well enough I wouldn't hit on purpose."

At the slave comment Riza rolled her eyes. "It's not a slave." She said resist the urge to hit him over the head while yawning.

''Oh yes- don't move while I'm being shot at. Tell that to the military side of me.'' Roy said sarcastically, patting the dog and grinning.

''Besides if you don't mind me saying Lieutenant, you are very formidable.''

He yawned. Cuddling the pup for a second before booting it gently back to Hawkeye. ''Early start in the morning, best get to sleep.''

Riza looked at him confused and curious as she was hugging Black Hayate. "How do you mean?" She asked about the formidable comment.

''Lieutenant you're a great officer, but pointing guns at people usually DOES make them wary of you, even if they are your senior officers.'' Roy said pointedly, pulling out a blanket from a cupboard and lying on the couch.

"Well you just have to snap your fingers and half of the army get's a heart failure." Riza pointed out yawning again.

"Sir I can take the couch." Riza repeated feeling guilty if the colonel was giving up his bed for her.

''Lieutenant, I am ordering you to take the bed.'' Mustang commanded from the couch, shoving Black Hayate-who had climbed up- off his head.

''Don't worry, I'm not diseased. Sheets were changed recently.''

Hawkeye opened her mount to protest but came out blank. It was an order and she couldn't argue an order.

"Yes sir, thank you sir." She said taking saluting pose. The military habits were sure as hell hard to get out of the system once you got used to them. Though never less it was an odd sight to see her salute in a miniskirt while holding back a laugh at the sight of Hayate on the colonel's head.

Riza made her way towards the bedroom before once more peeking around the corner.

"And colonel I was convinced you did peek at first, I must have been mistaken in you. I guess you can be a gentleman after all. Thank you, good night sir." She before she left.

''Goodnight, Hawkeye.''

Roy smiled a little, closed his eyes and delighting in the little victory he had gotten away with.  
Even though he didn't actually peek, the reflections in the window he had been staring out had let him see into the bathroom a little.

Of course it wasn't intentional, and he looked away right away...but he had to admit it was a good view.  
Though Riza didn't have to know that.

xxx

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**Author note:**

Aww Roy who's opening up. But then of course being Roy-ish at the end.

Okay so how did Roy looked into the bathroom by reflection, just imagine that it was open on a crack and Riza was so unlucky not to notice.

Hint: in the next chapter the first bit of action will come and in a few chapters you'll have more Royai. I'd offer other couples but then you'll have to join to make it happen as we need more players. xp

Please R&R or join the board. The more people the more fun.


	5. Chap 5: Murderer

**Murderer**

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye was a morning person. Well maybe not really a morning person but a strict person and as they had to be at the office in time she had to be up on time.

Black Hayate had as usually had woke her up by sneaking into the bed and licking her face. That pup was a darn good alarm clock.

To Riza's huge relieve her cloths had dried and she was now in her military suit in the kitchen taking the liberty of making some breakfast for all the others and some tea against the colds.

When she had passed by the hall she had taken a quick peek into the living room finding the colonel still in a deep sleep on the couch. He actually looked pretty cute like that.

Riza shook her head to get rid of the thoughts. **That** was not a way to think of a superior.

xxx

Ed was struggling in his sleep. He had been haunted by nightmares the entire night again.

His mother, the human alchemy, Al, his arm, little Nina, Winry,...

Ed was still fighting his blankets, patenting while the sweat ran down his face.

_Winry...Winry's parents...they're dead...they were killed...Ishbald war...the colonel...executed two doctors...they had a kid of Elycia's age...the Rockbells..._ Ed shot up gasping his eyes wide as he was breathing heavily.

"Winry... the colonel..." Then realisation hit him.

"That bastard!!" Ed hissed as he threw the blankets away and stormed down.

xxx

Riza didn't knew if it had been her imagination or not when suddenly she saw something flash by the door. Curiosity took the better part of her and she went to the hall where she just saw a blur run into the living room.

xxx

"MURDERER!!" Ed yelled as he had jumped the sleeping colonel and hit him in the face.

xxx

Al woke up, hearing a yell from downstairs. _MURDERER!_  
''Oh Ed, what have you done this time..'' He sighed, seeing his brothers' empty bed and getting up from where he sat and making his way downstairs as quickly as possible. 

''What's going on??''

xxx

The Colonel, sound asleep felt something move towards him and blearily opened his eyes just as a fist drove itself into his face, smashing his head back against the seat.

He thought he felt his own nose break as stars burst giddily before his eyes.

In an instant he was up, snatching the gun from under the cushion and trailing in on Ed.

''I'm not sure I deserved that.'' He wiped the blood from his nose.

The room was spinning before his eyes. Blearily he made out Edward standing in front of him, looking furious with blood on his automail arm.

His eyes narrowed as he slowly placed his other hand into a pocket of his pyjamas, slipping on one of his gloves.  
''Explain yourself! You have thirty seconds.''

Ed was blinded by anger and couldn't care less about the gun as he shot the colonel another furious glare.

"YOU KILLED THEM!" Ed yelled furiously as he trembled with hate and anger and had some dried tears on his face from the nightmares.

"YOU KILLED WINRY'S PARENTS. THEY WEREN'T KILLED ON ACCIDENT DURING THE WAR. YOU KILLED THEM!!" Ed yelled as he launched himself at the colonel again, knocking them both on the ground as he started hitting him wherever he could reach.

xxx

Riza had followed right behind Al in complete confusion of what was going on.

When she entered the living room she froze in shock. As Ed attacked the colonel again Riza shot in action and quickly grabbed her gun. "Get of him now! Major Elric step back!" She warned while aiming her gun but not shooting in hope Ed would stop but he couldn't care less as he kept hitting Mustang.

xxx

Mustang's gun fell to the floor as he dropped in and took the beating, every hit was a inch closer to messing up his face, which usually would have irked him a little but he didn't care.

He stumbled, letting Elric take out his anger of his face and body as the punches kept coming.  
''They disobeyed orders. I was commanded to execute them.'' He said calmly, eventually catching Ed's hands.

As Mustang caught his hand Ed actually stopped hitting. Not because he really wanted to but because he was too horrified.

''I didn't want to." Mustang continued.

''I'm not saying that makes it right but don't you think I've suffered enough without your childish vendetta tearing me a new one!?''  
His voice grew sterner as he stared at Ed's angry face.

''Do you feel better now, Major? Now that you've beat my face in? Does it bring them back, or make anyone feel better?? I have never forgiven myself for their deaths and I don't need you telling me I was wrong, understood?!'' His eyes turned into a hard stare as he finally let go of Ed's wrist, his voice cold.

He heard last night.. obviously, how stupid was I?

Al ran forward, catching Edward and pulling him back. ''Ed!! Stop it!! Don't do this to him or yourself!! It's not worth it!!''

"Never forgiven yourself? Bring them back?" Ed said his voice sounding unnaturally high pitched. "You should have thought about that before just carrying out orders like a brainless idiot." Ed snapped trembling.

"You weren't the one who caught her crying. Who saw your best friend yell at you." Ed continued not even trying to get out of Al's grip.

Meanwhile Riza had rushed over and helped the colonel up.

"You know what was the first time when I thought about human transmutation?" Ed said his voice still shaking.

"It was when Winry's parents died."

"But worse of all. You know Winry, you saw her when we met you for the first time, her and auntie Pinako, you saw Winry each time she came to central to help us. All these years she thought her parents got killed in the war by the Ishbaldish. But all this time in reality they got killed for doing what all soldiers were too much of cowards to do. They were hero's and she has been lied to for ages." Ed said still trembling.

''No, I wasn't. But unfortunately that's what war is about.'' Mustang replied in a voice that suggested he was trying to suppress emotion.

''Believe me, I wasn't something I ever wanted to do..''

His hands were shaking by his sides, and even Alphonse who was also angry at the Colonel, could see how sorry Roy was.

The colonel looked at Edward through dead eyes, his head bowed. ''I don't care if you hate me, but don't blame everyone in the military for what happened. What I did was unavoidable. If I didn't then I would have been shot and they would have died by someone else's hand.''

Now was the time he'd usually reprimand Ed, but he really couldn't be bothered.  
He actually deserved this.

Ed was quite as he had an expression mixed with hate, anger, guilty and fear.

Ed looked down to the ground his fist shaking. "Why…why didn't you told the truth?" He asked again.

Riza stood at the colonel's side biting her lip. This had gotten him straight back where it had started yesterday.

''I was ordered not to.'' Roy look at the ground, his fists clenched to stop their shaking.

Ed didn't replied anymore.

He stood frozen for a few moments before eventually pulling himself free from Al's grip and walking out of the house.

Roy sighed, his shoulders sagging as Ed left.

''Uhm..'' Al left too- though he knew it had been wrong and it had hurt Winry, he knew that Mustang was right. They were doomed anyway, and he knew it haunted Roy even still, so there was no point adding to that, even though he might deserve it.

''Big brother, wait for me.'' He caught up with Ed, saying nothing.

Once both Elric's had stormed out Riza looked at the colonel. He hadn't needed this. He felt guilty enough anyway.

She went to the bathroom before coming back with a first aid kit.

"Don't move." She said as she gently disinfected the wounds Ed had left on the colonel's face because of his automail arm.

Riza carefully attended to his wounds. She wanted to say something, anything that might make him feel better. But she didn't knew what. So instead she concentrated to take care of the wounds and cleaning his face.

Roy for once stood still and let Riza disinfect the wounds on his face.  
They weren't too bad, just a few cuts and a bruised nose but it still hurt like heck.

''You know, I don't know why I'm worrying.'' He said suddenly. ''This may sound callous, but its buried in the past, and this is Fullmetal's problem to deal with if he hates me.''

He didn't mean to sound so harsh. But in a way it was true.  
''Nothing has changed, apart from the fact a state Alchemist now hates me and as Colonel I'm already used to that.'' He realised, shrugging.

''It doesn't change what happened but we're late the Fuhrer will have our badges.'' He gingerly felt his face and frowned.  
''I've a date tomorrow, this had BETTER be cleared up by then.''

Riza was quite while finishing to disinfect the colonel's face. (Though at the date comment she seemed to be a bit rougher.)

"Then I hope your date will understand because I doubt it will be gone completely by tomorrow." She said rather coldly while disappearing to the bathroom to put back the first aid kid and coming back next.

''Agh..'' Roy could help but wince at Riza suddenly finishing cleaning his face a lot more rougher that when she started. And also her voice got a little colder after the mention of a date.  
He couldn't help but smile a little.

"Colonel, we can't let them run around in central alone. Fullmetal is upset and we all know how impulsive he can be, and with Scar on the lose again." The lieutenant said.

"I took the liberty of calling second lieutenant Ross and sergeant Brosh this morning. But unfortunately they are with major Armstrong on mission for the moment. I also called to see if there was anyone else for the job but with Scar and the troubles in the desert everybody is busy." Hawkeye reported.

"The only possibility I see left sir is to take them along to the office. It's in the heart of the HQ and Scar would be very stupid if he risk himself there. Beside we can keep a close eye on them then." Riza added. "Though I think we could better not tell him that Scar is back or that it is out of their protection. Elric is way too stubborn to stay then but he can't ignore a straight order." Hawkeye finished.

''Good idea, however I doubt Fullmetal will want to listen to me at this time. Come on, I'll drive.'' Dumping some food in a dish for Black Hayate, turning of the cooking fires, he dressed and washed quickly, pulling on the military uniform.  
On his way out, Roy ran down the stairs to a military car parked out front.  
''Come on.'' He repeated, holding open the door for Riza.

Riza ignored the smiling and followed when the colonel suddenly rushed out.

Riza looked a bit surprised that the colonel held open the door for her and decided to drive himself this time, usually she was the one at the wheel.

But they were in a hurry so there was no time to argue.

xxx

Ed hadn't react on his brothers calls as he walked on in silence.

He was deep in thoughts. He still couldn't believe it. How to tell Winry? Should he tell her? How could that jerk have done such a thing? He might have sounded regretful but it didn't change a thing.

''Big brother...'' Al walked alongside Ed quietly. ''Telling Winry will only dig up painful memories.'' He said, as though reading his brother's mind.

''It may not be right to keep quiet ... she has the right to know her parents were heroes, but I don't think telling her the full story would help anyone.''

He lapsed into silence, not wanting Ed to yell at him too.

"Don't worry." Ed said as he walked on for a little longer before standing still but not looking at Al.

"Winry has the right to know. And I disagree with the part of digging up painful memories. Those memories are there all the time anyway." Ed said bitterly.

"But I won't tell her. That is not up to me. If someone should tell her then it's that colonel bastard." Ed said while kicking a pebble.

Al nodded. That was true, the last bit anyways.

''Well we're going to have to report to Headquarters sooner or later, so maybe we could do it before Colonel Mustang gets to wor-''

As much as he hated Mustang for hurting Winry and Pinako. he saw the colonels side too.

But Al was interrupted by a black military car pulling up beside them with Mustang at the wheel.  
''Fullmetal, Alphonse. Get in the care and that is an order.'' He said shortly, mentioning nothing of the scene earlier.  
''You're coming the offices.''

Ed was about to answer to Al's suggestion when a black military car stopped beside them.

Ed looked a bit sourly at the colonel. "Why colonel? We were about to go to the national library." He said coolly. Like hell he wanted to pass a day in the same space as that man.

Roy's first reaction was to tell the Fullmetal idiot what was going on and that he was saving his ass on no account but his own, but decided against it.

''It's an order, Fullmetal.'' Roy gestured towards the backseat.  
''There's a library at headquarters, you'll have to study there.''

Ed looked very, very pissed but didn't protest this time. It was an order, and as he was still the dog of the military he couldn't ignore such a straight order of a superior twice on a row. Not to mention the consequences that would still follow for beating up that same superior.

Ed held the car door open for Al. Once his brother had entered he followed and slammed the door violently as he sat behind Mustang and was looking out of the window in silence.

The lieutenant looked at the colonel for a moment. This was going to be an interesting day at the office.

xxx

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xxx

**Author note:**

I told you there would be a little bit action. Go Ed hit the mean colonel (Hides for coconut). Anyway more action coming soon.

And by now we already have a Armstrong, Schiezka, Winry and Wrath as well. Come'on people join. We could use some more sins or else poor Wrath will be lonely. XP

Please R&R or join the board. The more people the more fun.


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